Vacuum Pump Insert With Resilient Bearing Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum pumps face challenges during servicing due to tolerance stack-up between bearing components, leading to changes in rotor position and axial preload, necessitating pump disconnection from tools for adjustments, which increases servicing time and can result in excessive wear or component clashes.
Innovation Solution
A metallic, annular resilient support with flexible members is used to accurately position and preload a rolling bearing, maintaining consistent rotor position and axial preload during servicing, eliminating the need to disconnect the pump from tools by providing a low-tolerance assembly method and integral leaf springs for radial stiffness adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional rolling bearings are replaced during servicing, then the bearing components can be renewed, but the rotor position changes due to tolerance stack-up, requiring pump disconnection for adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient support structure acts as an intermediary between the bearing and the pump housing, absorbing tolerance variations and preventing rotor position changes when bearings are replaced, thereby eliminating the need for pump disconnection during servicing
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing arrangement transitions from a rigid fixed-position design to a resilient design that allows positional adjustment, changing the mechanical parameter of bearing position stability while maintaining rotational support function
2Device complexity
If traditional fixed-position bearing arrangements are used, then the structure is simple, but rotor position changes cause excessive wear or component clashes
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing arrangement changes from a static fixed-position design to a dynamic resilient design that can adapt to tolerance variations, allowing the bearing position to self-adjust and prevent rotor component clashes while maintaining structural simplicity
3Reliability
If magnetic bearing axial preload is adjusted to compensate for rotor position changes, then component clashes are prevented, but the pump must be disconnected from tools for adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient support structure preliminarily compensates for bearing position variations during assembly, pre-establishing proper rotor positioning and preload conditions before the pump is put into service, thereby eliminating the need for post-installation adjustments
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces vibration transmissibility, eliminates the need for high-speed balancing, and lowers costs by maintaining consistent rotor position and axial preload, thereby simplifying and speeding up pump servicing while reducing vibration levels and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a metallic, annular resilient support comprising inner and outer annular portions connected by a plurality of flexible members
Implementation Method 2
The upper bearing is in the form of a magnetic bearing... Due to the forces of repulsion between the rings, the rotor 14 is biased in the axial direction so that an axial preload is applied to the rotor 14
Data Source
AI summary
A pump insert (50) for supporting a rotor (14) of a pump comprises an annular resilient support (52) for engaging the body (26) of the pump, the support (52) extending about a rolling bearing (10) having an inner race (12) for engaging the rotor (14), an axially preloaded outer race (16) fixed to the support (52), and a plurality of rolling elements (18) located between the races. During assembly, the rolling bearing (10) can be accurately positioned within the support (52) so that there is a very low tolerance stack-up when the insert (50) is fitted to the rotor (14). Consequently, the position of the rotor (14) will hardly change, if at all, when the rolling bearing (10) is replaced during servicing of the pump.